Varig plane crashes

The following are significant events involving the airline or its subsidiares. The numbered events are those involving at least one airline passenger death where the aircraft flight had a direct or indirect role, and where at least one of the dead passengers was not a stowaway, hijacker, or saboteur. Only events from 1970 until the airline ceased operations in 2006 are included.

1. 11 July 1973; Varig 707-300; near Paris, France: The aircraft had a fire in a rear lavatory while inbound for landing. Due to heavy smoke, the crew made a forced landing about three miles (five km) from the airport. By this time, most of the occupants had been overcome by smoke. Seven of the 17 crew members and 116 of the 117 passengers were killed.

2. 3 January 1987; Varig 707-300; near Abidjan, Ivory Coast: The aircraft had an engine problem shortly after a night takeoff. The aircraft crashed about 11 miles (18 km) from the airport. By this time, most of the occupants had been overcome by smoke. All 12 crew members and 38 of the 39 passengers were killed.

3. 3 September 1989; Varig 737-200; near São Jose do Xingu, Brazil: The aircraft had been on a domestic flight from Marabà to Belem Bélem when the crew made a forced landing due to fuel exhaustion. The flight crew had inadvertently entered a 27 degree heading into the flight computer rather than the correct heading value of 270 degrees. By the time the crew had discovered the error, the aircraft was too far away from a suitable landing option. Twelve of the 48 passengers were killed in the emergency landing. The six crew members all survived. The survivors were found about two days later.
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